Tips for Kid-Friendly Decor

When you are a lover of fine art, are partial to high-end furniture, but have children who rule your household, staying true to your interior design aesthetic can be quite the challenge. How do you show off the gorgeous new fabric you found on your travels abroad without having your child smear food all over it? Is it possible to showcase that pricey auction treasure in a glass showcase when your home, in reality, is a children’s playground? Below are some ideas to help you achieve the best of both worlds.

Embrace Distractions
Adding sophisticated, easy-to-break art into a home with children is a struggle. One idea to help keep your prized pieces safe is to set up distractions around the house so the kids are not focused on playing with your ceramic sculptures. Try a music room or other play rooms that will keep the kids entertained without the temptation of touching the art.

Say Yes to the Ottoman
One of the main concerns when decorating with kids is their safety, so furniture with sharp edges is a big no. That’s why a stylish upholstered coffee-table ottoman is the perfect solution. Kids can play on and around it without fear of sharp edges – moreover it provides extra seating and serves as a great foot rest.

Consider Antique Seating
If you’re an avid antique collector, don’t fret; you can still incorporate them into your home to suit both you and your kids. Antique seating in children’s rooms is great option – think Victorian heart-shaped chairs for girls’ rooms or even rustic games tables for playrooms. There are so many antique kids toys around these days that will not only add a rustic vibe to your home, but your kids will love them.

Pay Attention to Fabrics

The key with fabrics is to choose ones that can be cleaned easily. You need to find the right balance between what looks and feels great to what won’t be ruined by accidental messes. Vinyl is a necessity for both kitchen and bar stools, as well as durable white outdoor fabrics for sofas that can be wiped cleaned. And when it comes to floors, Bolon is perfect – it’s a rubber flooring product that resembles flat weave, it comes in many colours and can be mopped, sponged and vacuumed.

Hello Fine Art
When you think of fine art and kids your first thought might be to exclude it from your home and lock it up in museum artwork storage facilities. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Interior designer Sandra Nunnerely appreciates seeing art displayed throughout the home, even in children’s rooms, this allows the children to grow up with an appreciation of high-end furnishings and to understand that beautiful furnishings and artwork belong throughout the home, not simply in the formal living room, she says.

Turner also suggests going a step further by incorporating color. Brightly colored abstract artworks or figurative art not only bring sophistication to your home, but they can also enliven a space, making it cheerful and delightful to young children, Turner says. Children like to engage and be visually stimulated, so why not appeal to their budding love for culture and the arts by introducing brilliant pops of art? They may be young, but kids really do recognise quality design early. To complement high-end pieces, you might also consider showcasing children’s art also, it’s a great juxtaposition and conversation starter.

Make Clear Museum Gel a Staple
Another clever trick to incorporating and showcasing valuable decorative arts in your interior style, without the fear of collectible ceramics, sculptures, or vases toppling and shattering, is to use clear museum gel to secure these breakables to the surface. Your favourite antique vase might actually survive when the kids run past and lightly knock the coffee table its sitting on – this glue is the ultimate child-proofing tool.